Q & A — Fiona Skye

Currently, I’m working on three different projects. The first is the second book in my Revelations Trilogy; it’s called Silver Shackles. The second project is thriller/murder mystery that I’m hoping to publish under another name. The third project is an epic fantasy, inspired by—believe it or not—the video game Skyrim.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

My main character for the Revelations Trilogy is named Riley O’Rourke. She’s a TV talk show host who also happens to be a werejaguar. She and a couple of vampire friends broke through the veil of secrecy that hid the Preternatural population—you know, the things that go bump in the night—from the rest of humanity, by staging a live, nationally-broadcasted press conference during which they revealed themselves as vampires and were-creatures.

I think Riley’s an interesting character. She’s not a wall-flower, nor is she weak. She can take care of herself, tends to be a little head-strong and stubborn, and has been blessed (cursed?) with a very healthy ego. When she gets involved with the Dark Court Fae, she learns quickly that she’s not the top of the food chain after all, and has to deal with the fall out of this knowledge. Readers get to see her entire world fall apart and then they get to see how she picks up the pieces and puts everything back together.

What genre are your books?

The Revelations Trilogy is urban fantasy. I like this genre because I like to play with perceptions and the big question of What If? What if your next-door neighbor or your boss or the bike messenger who just cut you off in traffic is a werewolf or a vampire or even a magic user? I like to explore the idea that underneath the thin veneer of civilization, there might exist an entirely separate world that until now, has only been scary stories.

What is your favorite movie and why?

I love The Princess Bride. It’s a magical movie that underscores the power of a really good book. Plus, there’s sword fights and magic and a death game with the world’s smartest man!

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

Like a lot of authors, I’ve given this extensive thought. Riley would be played by Maggie Q, the star of the TV show Nikita. David Lo, who is Riley’s love interest and a federal law agent, would be played by Daniel Henney, who was in the first Wolverine movie. Baron Fonterra, who helps Riley out quite a bit, would be played by Sam Elliot—BEFORE he shaved off his mustache! And Orla Brown, who is a witch and sort of a grandmotherly figure for Riley, would be played by Dame Judi Dench.

How much research do you do?

I do pretty extensive research. I’m kind of a stickler for detail and even if a subject doesn’t take up more than a single sentence in my book, I spend a lot of time making sure I know what I’m talking about. I have tons of books on faerie creatures, Irish and Scottish folklore, geography of the U.S., vampire lore, magic, and links on body language, the history of the O’Rourke family in Ireland, and jaguar behavior. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine has promised to take me to a gun range so that I can fire the same sort of gun that David carries.

Do you write full-time or part-time?

I definitely write full time. After my kids leave for school in the morning, I spend about three hours writing or researching, then I eat lunch and walk my dog. Then I write or read for another two hours, until my kids and husband get home and it’s time for dinner and homework. I find that I write best during the morning hours. My energy level tends to be the highest at this time and I seem to be able to focus better during this time, too.

Tell us about the cover and how it came about.

I’m extremely lucky to know not one, but two amazing artists who were kind enough to design both the print cover and ebook cover for Faerie Tales in exchange for publicity. Angelique Charo (http://charolique.deviantart.com/) did the print cover, and Deanne Smith (http://goldenthrush.deviantart.com/) did the ebook cover. The design concept is supposed to represent the dual nature of Riley—her human face and her Jaguar face.

Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers?

Not yet, but I’m trying to convince my husband—who is a great writer!–to collaborate with me on the epic fantasy I mentioned earlier. I’m intrigued by the technical process of two writers working on one manuscript. Do they each take a chapter and write it? Does one partner work on settings/exposition and the other on dialogue? Do they edit together or separately?

Where do the your ideas come from?

The Idea Faerie? LOL! I don’t know honestly. I’m inspired by other writers, video games, songs, TV shows and movies… Basically, anything and everything I see/hear/taste is fodder for a story.

Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?

It’s been my experience that writer’s block is either a form of procrastination or a deep fear. Either way, the best way through it is just to get your butt in the seat, fingers on the keyboard and write. Don’t worry if it’s crap; don’t worry if it’ll be well-received. Just write it. Once it’s written, it can be edited and polished and perfected. But it can’t be edited if it’s not written!